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Healthcare · head to head

Cliniko vs Softdent

Cliniko logo

Cliniko

Healthcare

Clinic management software for health practitioners

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Softdent logo

Softdent

Dental

Intelligent Dental Practice Management System

From
$249/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cliniko has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cliniko priced in practitioner bands rather than per seat, so a clinic adding a sixth practitioner jumps from $95 to $145 a month; Softdent now supported as a Carestream Dental product (softdent.com redirects to carestreamdental.com); no pricing is published, only support and installation scheduling links
  • They diverge on capability: Cliniko covers Appointment Scheduling, Softdent covers Patient scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cliniko and Softdent actually diverge.

Attributes where Cliniko and Softdent differ
AttributeClinikoSoftdent
Starting priceFree$249/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, Ios, Android, Windows
CategoryHealthcareDental
Founded20122010

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cliniko

  • Appointment Scheduling
  • Online Booking
  • Client Management
  • Invoicing
  • Patient Portal
  • Telehealth
  • Payment processors
  • Online forms

Only in Softdent

  • Patient scheduling
  • Electronic health records
  • Clinical charting
  • Imaging integration
  • Billing and invoicing
  • Treatment planning
  • Insurance claims
  • Inventory management

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cliniko

  • Practice management for allied health clinicsnot Softdent
  • Appointment scheduling and online bookingsnot Softdent
  • Clinical notes and patient recordsnot Softdent
  • Telehealth consultationsnot Softdent
  • Invoicing and payment tracking for a multi-practitioner clinicnot Softdent

Softdent

  • Practice managementnot Cliniko
  • Patient schedulingnot Cliniko
  • Clinical documentationnot Cliniko
  • Financial managementnot Cliniko
  • Multi-location coordinationnot Cliniko

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cliniko

  • Priced in practitioner bands rather than per seat, so a clinic adding a sixth practitioner jumps from $95 to $145 a month
  • The top published band stops at 200 practitioners
  • SMS is charged separately at 10 cents a message
  • Telehealth requires entering card details before it unlocks, even during the trial
  • There is no free tier, only a 30 day trial

Softdent

  • Now supported as a Carestream Dental product (softdent.com redirects to carestreamdental.com); no pricing is published, only support and installation scheduling links

Pricing, plan by plan

Cliniko

Free
  • 1 Practitioner$45/month
  • 2-5 Practitioners$95/month
  • 6-8 Practitioners$145/month
  • 9-12 Practitioners$195/month

Softdent

$249/month
  • Starter$249/month
    • Patient scheduling
    • Clinical records
    • Billing basics
  • Professional$399/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Advanced imaging integration
    • Treatment planning tools
  • Enterprise$599/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Multi-location management
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Cliniko if

  • You need appointment scheduling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want online booking.
Cliniko review

Choose Softdent if

  • You need patient scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
  • You also want electronic health records.
Softdent review

Questions people ask

Is Cliniko or Softdent better?
Neither clearly leads. Cliniko starts at Free and Softdent at $249/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cliniko or Softdent?
Cliniko has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cliniko and $249/month for Softdent.
Does Cliniko or Softdent run on more platforms?
Cliniko runs on Web, Mobile. Softdent runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
Can I use Cliniko for free?
Yes. Cliniko has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Softdent starts at $249/month.
What is Cliniko best used for?
Cliniko is most often used for practice management for allied health clinics, appointment scheduling and online bookings, clinical notes and patient records, telehealth consultations. Of those, practice management for allied health clinics and appointment scheduling and online bookings are not what Softdent is typically brought in for.
What can Cliniko do that Softdent cannot?
Cliniko covers Appointment Scheduling, Online Booking, Client Management, Invoicing. Softdent covers Patient scheduling, Electronic health records, Clinical charting, Imaging integration. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cliniko: How much does Cliniko cost for a practice?

Cliniko uses per-practitioner pricing: 1 practitioner $45/month, 2-5 practitioners $95/month, 6-8 practitioners $145/month, 9-12 practitioners $195/month, 13-25 practitioners $295/month, 26-200 practitioners $395/month.

Source
Cliniko: Does Cliniko offer a free trial?

Cliniko is free to try for the first 30 days with no credit card required initially. A credit card is required to unlock features like Telehealth after the trial begins.

Source
Cliniko: What is included in all Cliniko plans?

Every Cliniko subscription includes complete feature access, unlimited admin and reception users, unlimited locations, unlimited file storage, unlimited patients, 24/7 monitoring, automatic backups, regular updates, and 24/7 customer support.

Source
Cliniko: Does Cliniko charge extra for SMS and what discounts apply?

SMS messaging costs 10 cents per message (pre-paid credits required). Annual billing includes one month free every year. Charities and educational institutions qualify for free access. Cliniko commits to no feature-specific fees beyond SMS and offers no annual commitment discounts.

Source
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